Happy 2016, friends!

I had an absolutely fabulous week off between Christmas and New Year’s, and I am really hoping I can keep my sense of inner calm and well-rested soul as we get back to “reality” tomorrow – that is, school and work!

January always ushers in a completely busy work calendar for me. I travel to Atlanta this month, Tucson in February, and my annual convention in March. In between, there are numerous other meetings, a ginormous to-do list that must get done, the usual family stuff, and my wish to keep writing regularly for this blog and several other commitments I have made.

Geez, writing this makes me feel the tension and stress already. I better stop this!

It’s not that I dislike my job – that’s most definitely NOT the case – but I am determined to find a way to keep my sanity. I won’t say “balance,” as I’m not sure that is entirely possible – but I do want to focus on my priorities and what’s really important.

On the home front, it may be as simple as meal planning on the weekend so that I can serve decent meals to Teacher Man and Joe during the week. And it’s also about staying organized as Joe’s birthday creeps up later this month. I want to keep my workout schedule relatively consistent as that helps calm my inner stress ball, and I won’t beat myself up if I miss a blog post or two. (But I also know that blogging is my creative outlet so I need to keep writing, too, because I love it!)

In the office, I am working on streamlining my workload, which can seem a bit impossible. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes. 😉

Anywho … before we leap head first into January, here are a few photos from the past week, including our New Year’s celebration at my sister’s house.

I don’t do this often enough: relaxing on the couch with a good book, glass of wine, and Food Network on in the background. Instant relaxation! (Do I have to go back to work?)

One of the perks of taking time off from work and staying at home? I can make homemade pancakes for Joe and his buddy, Kody, who had a sleepover at our house earlier in the week. (Recipe is excellent – find it here! Note that I added the chocolate chips because, well, why not?)

I did quite a bit of baking on my break, which I’m sure doesn’t surprise you. This may have been the piece de resistance, though, for New Year’s Eve – a Brownie Peanut Butter Cups Cheesecake. Oh. My. Word. (And it got better the 2nd and 3rd day too – recipe here.)

For New Year’s, I decided it would be fun to be my sister’s personal chef! Both she and her hubby were working until later in the afternoon, so Teacher Man, Joe, and I picked up their daughter, Miss Morgan, early from daycare and brought over all the food for a New Year’s celebration at their house. We roasted a JENNIE-O® OVEN READY™ Cajun Style Bone-In Turkey Breast, and served it with cheesy hash brown potatoes, and a pretty yummy broccoli-cauliflower side-dish from The Pioneer Woman. We also provided a few appetizers and the dessert I mentioned above. Yum!

And some bubbly, of course!

I took about a million photos of this girl. Because I can’t help myself.

And we played Balderdash and Apples to Apples with this guy, which helped keep us all focused to make it to midnight!

Earl the Pug made sure I was up bright and early to see this beautiful sunrise hovering over my sister’s townhouse community … it really was a lovely first morning of 2016, even though I wanted to go back to sleep. 🙂

Later, we packed up this girl and her fur-brother, Avery, and brought them back to our house while her parents got ready for a showing at their townhouse. (Fingers crossed it will sell soon! Here’s the listing if you know anyone interested in a townhouse in Chanhassen, MN.)) Miss Morgan and I set about right away to get her nails painted for the New Year – because that’s what aunties are for! 

We also took a nice, long nap the afternoon!

Including the dogs!

The next day, it was time to get rid of Christmas, and my beloved silver aluminum tree was packed up and put away until next December.

But oh the memories of a wonderful week off and a fun New Year’s celebration! 

Welcome to the New Year, and I’ll be back again this week with a Turkey Tuesday recipe and more. 🙂

Lara